Iranian Revolutions, 1953-1979

Description: In the 1953 coup, Iran’s democratically elected prime minister, Mohammad Mosaddeq, is deposed by the Iranian military, backed by the United States government. As a Cold-War related incident, it was suspected that Mosaddeq’s government would move to align itself with the Soviet Union. Operation Ajax is a covert operation by the United States CIA, which reinstalls pro-Western Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi as the country’s ruler. In 1979 midst political unrest, the Shah is ousted, leaving the country. After 14 years of exile because he opposed the regime, Ayatollah Khomeini, Islamic fundamentalist, comes back to Iran and takes control of the country, choosing a government. The Islamic Republic of Iran is born, following a referendum. Fifty-two U.S. hostages are held in the U.S. embassy in Tehran by Islamic militants, requesting the Shah return from the U.S. to be tried. The first president of the Islamic Republic Abolhasan Bani-Sadr is elected in 1980. In Egypt, the Shah passes away from cancer. The collection includes videos, documentaries, and key archival material with correspondence and background briefs.